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A Plus Pet Goods - Glossary of dog terms Category: Animals and Nature > Glossary of dog terms Date & country: 12/11/2010, USA Words: 897

Superciliary Arches
The ridge, projection, or prominence of the frontal bones of the skull over the eyes; the brow; supraorbital ridges.

Suspension Trot
See Flying Trot

Swayback
Concave curvature of the vertebrae column between the withers and the hipbones.

Symmetry
Pleasing balance between all parts of the dog.

Tail-Set
How the base of the tail is set on the rump.

Tapetum Lucidum
The highly reflective portion of the interior of the canine eyeball that aids in night vision.

Tattoo
A method of on-dog identification.

Tawny
Used, along with white, to describe Ibizan Hounds, this color is the color of lions (sandy yellow). Also referred to as Lion Tawny. Color definitions may vary by breed. Always check the breed standard for the definitive color description.

Teat
The nipple of an animal

Terrier Front
Straight front as found on fox terriers.

Terrier Group
A group of dogs used originally for hunting vermin.

Testosterone
A potent androgenic hormone produced chiefly by the testes; responsible for the development of male secondary sex characteristics.

Thigh
The hindquarter from hip to stifle.

Thoracic Vertebrae
The thirteen vertebrae of the chest with which thirteen pairs of ribs articulate.

Throatiness
An excess of loose skin under the throat.

Thumb Marks
Black spots on the region of the pastern.

Tibetan Mastiff
A very large powerful rough-coated dog native to central Asia.

Tibia
One of the two bones of the leg (i.e., the lower thigh, second thigh, or lower leg).

Ticked
Small, isolated areas (smaller than spots) of black or colored hairs on a white background. Color definitions may vary by breed. Always check the breed standard for the definitive color description.

Tied At The Elbows
See Paddling

Tongue
(1) The fleshy, moveable, muscular organ attached to the floor of the mouth; (2) or the barking or baying of hounds on the trail, as to give tongue, to open or speak.

Topcoat
On a dog's coat, the longer guard hairs.

Topical
Of or relating to a drug applied topically or on a localized area of the body or to the surface of a body part.

Topknot
A tuft of longer hair on top of the head.

Topline
The dog's outline from just behind the withers to the tail set.

Toy Group
Group of dogs bred to be companions or lap dogs.

Tracking Dog (TD)
A title awarded to a dog that has been recorded a Tracking Dog as a result of having passed an AKC-licensed or -member tracking test. The title may be combined with the UD (Utility Dog) title and shown as UDT.

Trail
To hunt by following ground scent.

Training Collar
A collar made of nylon, leather, or chain, fitted to the dog's neck in such a manner that the degree of tension exerted by the hand tightens or loosens it. Also called choke collar or slip collar.

Triangular Eye
The eye set in surrounding tissue of triangular shape; three-cornered eye.

Tricolor
Three colors in the coat

Trim
To groom the coat by stripping, clipping or scissoring.

Trot
A rhythmic two-beat diagonal gait in which the feet at diagonal opposite ends of the body strike the ground together; i.e., right hind with left front and left hind with right front.

Trousers
Longish hair at the back of both upper and lower thighs.

Trumpet
The slight depression or hollow on either side of the skull just behind the orbit or eye socket; the region comparable with the temple in man.

Truncated
Cut off.

Tuck-Up
Characterized by markedly shallower body depth at the loin. Small-waisted.

Tulip Ear
An ear carried erect with edges curving in and forward.

Turn-Up
An up-tilted foreface.

Twisting Hocks
A gaiting fault in which the hock joints twist both ways as they flex or bear weight. Also called rubber hocks.

Type
Sum of qualities that distinguish dogs of one breed (breed type) or dogs from one kennel (kennel type) from others.

Ulna
One of the two bones of the forearm.

Umbilical Hernia
A usually self-correcting hernia of the intestines in which protrusion occurs through the abdominal wall in the region of the navel.

Underage Dam
Dam under eight months of age at the time of mating.

Underage Sire
Sire under seven months of age at the time of mating.

Undercoat
Dense, soft, short coat concealed by a longer top coat.

Underline
The combined contours of the brisket and the abdominal floor.

Undershot
The front teeth (incisors) of the lower jaw overlapping or projecting beyond the front teeth of the upper jaw when the mouth is closed.

Unilateral Cryptorchid
See Cryptorchid

United Kennel Club (UKC)
An official registry in the United States for purebred dogs.

Unsound
A dog incapable of performing the functions for which it was bred.

Upper Arm
The humerus or bone of the foreleg, between the shoulder blade and the forearm and associated tissues.

Urethroliths
A general term referring to mineral deposits that form an obstruction in the urethra of male dogs.

Utility Dog (UD)
A title awarded to a dog that has been recorded a Utility Dog by the AKC as a result of having won certain minimum scores in Utility classes at a specified number of AKC licensed or member obedience trials. This title may be combined with the TD or TDX title and shown as UDT or UDTX, respectively.

Vaccine
A preparation of a weakened or killed pathogen, such as a bacterium or virus, or of a portion of the pathogen's structure that upon administration stimulates antibody production or cellular immunity against the pathogen but is incapable of causing severe infection.

Variety
A division of a breed approved by the AKC. There are nine breeds that are divided into varieties

Varminty
A keen, very bright or piercing expression.

Vascular
Of, characterized by, or containing vessels that carry or circulate fluids, such as blood, lymph, or sap, through the body of an animal or plant.

Veil
The portion of the dog's forelock hanging straight down over the eyes or partially covering them.

Vent
The anal opening.

Vertebral Column
The bones of the central axis of the dog posterior to the skull, including cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral, and caudal vertebrae.

Virus
Any of various simple submicroscopic parasites of plants, animals, and bacteria that often cause disease and that consist essentially of a core of RNA or DNA surrounded by a protein coat. Unable to replicate without a host cell, viruses are typically not considered living organisms.

Walk
Gaiting pattern in which three legs are in support of the body at all times, each foot lifting from the ground one at a time in regular sequence.

Walleye
An eye with a whitish iris; a blue eye, fisheye, pearl eye.

Warrigal
A wolflike yellowish-brown wild dog of Australia.

Wean
The process of making a pup eat solid food instead of its mother's milk.

Webbed
Connected by a membrane.

Webbed Toes
Toes connected by a skin membrane; important for water-retrieving dogs, providing help in swimming.

Weedy
An insufficient amount of bone; light boned.

Weimaraner
A large breed of hunting dog that originated in Germany, having a smooth grayish coat.

Well Let Down
Having short hocks; refers to short metatarsals.

Welsh Corgi
Either of two breeds of dog that originated in Wales, having a long body, short legs, and a foxlike head.

West Highland White Terrier
A small white terrier with upright ears and tail, developed in Scotland from Cairn, Scottish, and Skye terriers.

Wet Neck
Loose or superfluous skin; with dewlap.

Wheaten
Pale yellow or fawn color. The color of wheat. Color definitions may vary by breed. Always check the breed standard for the definitive color description.

Wheel Back
A marked arch of the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae.

Whelp Date
The date of birth of a litter.

Whelping
The act of birthing puppies.

Whip Tail
Carried out stiffly straight and pointed.

Whiskers
Vibrissae or sensory organs (hairs) on the sides of the muzzle.

White
The color of dog that lacks pigmentation.

Whitelies
Body color white with red or dark markings. Color definitions may vary by breed. Always check the breed standard for the definitive color description.

Wicket
Device used to measure the height of a dog at the withers.

Wild Boar
Usually used to describe Dachshunds, this color is dull gray hairs intermingled with black hairs. Color definitions may vary by breed. Always check the breed standard for the definitive color description.

Wind
To catch the scent of game.

Winging
A gaiting fault where one or both front feet twist outward as the limbs swing forward.

Winter Nose
See Snow Nose

Wirehair
A coat of hard, crisp, wiry texture.

Withers
Highest point of a dog's shoulders.

Wolf Sable
Used to describe Pomeranians. Silver or gray with black tips (no tan, white, or cream anywhere). Color definitions may vary by breed. Always check the breed standard for the definitive color description.

Working Group
Group of dogs used to pull carts, guard property, and for search and rescue.

Wrinkle
Loose, folding skin on forehead and foreface.

Wry Mouth
Asymmetrical alignment of upper and lower jaws; cross bite.

Xiphoid Process
Cartilage process of the sternum.

Yorkshire Terrier
A breed of toy terrier developed in Yorkshire and having a long, silky, bluish-gray coat.

Zoonosis
A disease of animals, such as rabies or psittacosis, that can be transmitted to humans.

Zygomatic Arch
A bony ridge extending posteriorly (and laterally) from beneath the eye orbit.